April Brewington
I Search
3rd Hour
LIVING WITH ASTHMA
Introduction: What I Already Knew / What I Wanted to Know/ Why I’m Writing
This Paper
I have been diagnosed with asthma. I already knew that asthma is a chronic
disease that affects the lungs, and that certain medications help control the number and
severity of asthma episodes (that’s when the coughing and wheezing start). I know that
asthma is relatively common, and there are inhalers I can use to alleviate my symptoms,
but I didn’t know what treatment might be best for me. I’ve seen a multitude of
commercials about treatment for asthma- everyone seems to be happily living their lives
with the right inhalers, but I’ve also heard of my friends suffering from terrifying asthma
attacks. This topic is interesting to me me because I will be living with asthma for the rest
of my life; I need to know what I’m in for in terms of symptoms and treatments. I would
also like to know about the advancements that have been made in treating and preventing
asthma attacks.
I needed to know more about what might trigger an asthma episode. Will I be
able to keep up with other players on the softball team? Are there certain types of trees
and plants that I should avoid? After much pleading and negotiating on my part, my
parents had finally agreed that our family could have a dog. Will I be able to live with it?
I made a list of the things I needed to know, and from that list, I was able to form my
research question: Can I effectively manage my asthma? Later, I was able to form an
answer. My research questions are listed below:
1. What factors contribute to asthma attacks?
2. How can I reduce asthma attacks?
April Brewington
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3rd Hour
3. What are the treatments for asthma and asthma attacks?
4. How can the occurrence of asthma attacks be reduced?
5. What is the history of research and treatment regarding asthma?
The Process
My search took about three weeks. I began my research by doing some
background reading in the Encarta online encyclopedia. That site provided a definition of
the term asthma, information on how the lungs function, the causes of asthma attacks,
and the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Statistics on the number of Americans
with the disease were included in the article. Most of the information, including the
statistics was supported by the information in the Merck Manual of Medical Information.
From there I did an online search combining the terms asthma and managing in
the Google search engine . Of the many sites that were available, I chose to use the
American Lung Association’s web site. There the information on asthma was current,
well organized, easy to understand, and it provided answers to all three aspects of my
research question. A Who is search of lungusa.org confirmed that the web site was
registered to the American Lung Association. It gave me a street address at which I could
contact the American Lung Association, as well as the date the site was last updated.
Again, I used the Merck Manual of Medical Information to confirm the accuracy of the
information. This was the only resource I evaluated for accuracy, currency, authority and
purpose.
Dr. Davis referred me to an allergy / asthma specialist named Dr. Emma Anders.
Since she was going to treat my asthma, I decided to interview her for my paper. I forgot
to take her busy schedule into account, and I did not know that she had planned a short
April Brewington
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3rd Hour
vacation during the time I was doing my research. She graciously agreed to meet with
me after her office hours one day. Dr. Anders was a great source of information on all
aspects of my disease, but the most unique feature of our interview included a
demonstration of two instruments, a peak flow meter and a metered-dose inhaler. She
also sent home a video on the appropriate use of both pieces of equipment.
During the next week I went to my school library. My school librarian directed
me to the reference section where were many specialized medical encyclopedias. I chose
to use the Merck Manual of Medical Information because it was the most current
publication on the shelf. The vocabulary was much more technical than what I had found
in the other sources. Included in the article were a table that showed the different
medications used to treat asthma and a graphic that illustrated the correct use of an
inhaler. Using the library’s OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) to search for books, I
did a subject search using the term asthma. My school library didn’t have any titles that
dealt with asthma. I realized that I would have to go to the public library to find books.
Still at my school library, I talked to our school librarian about using Proquest, a
very comprehensive online magazine / newspaper database. Our librarian showed me
how to use the “Browse Topics” feature. This feature allowed me to find the search
terms used by Proquest and to narrow my search. I found asthma listed as a search term
with 111 subtopics. I narrowed my search by adding the subtopic athletes to one of my
searches and allergies to another.
At the public library I searched the OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) using
asthma as the search term in a subject search. Surprisingly, many of the titles shown in
the catalog were checked out. I didn’t want to place any titles from other libraries on
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3rd Hour
hold, so I checked out 1 of the 2 titles on the shelf. The book, Breathe Right Now: A
Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Treating the Most common Breathing
Disorders, was much longer that I had anticipated. Consequently, I read only some of the
chapters.
By the end of the third week, I felt I had plenty of information. My original
search question remained the same: Can I manage my asthma? I was able to define
exactly what it was that I wanted to manage. I ended up narrowing my topic to three
areas I had to deal with in order to manage my asthma: medications, sports/exercise, and
environmental factors.
The Results
According to the information in the Encarta encyclopedia, many Americans, have
asthma, and that number has increased dramatically in the last 20 years. “More than 17
million Americans suffer from asthma, with nearly 5 million cases occurring in children
under age 18. In the United States, asthma causes 5,500 deaths each year… Among all
Americans, the prevalence of asthma increased more than 60 percent between 1982 and
1994” (1). The management of asthma is a health issue for many people. As a result of
my research, I have found that I can manage my asthma and live a full, active life by
minimizing the effects of environmental factors that can trigger asthma episodes,
following my physician’s instructions about medications and by sticking to an exercise
program.
Numerous substances can trigger an asthma attack of coughing, wheezing, and
shortness of breath. Allergens constitute the largest category of triggers (Abramowicz).
According to Susan Berg, “Allergens are substances that produce an allergic reaction in
April Brewington
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3rd Hour
people who are sensitive to them.” Common allergens are pollens from plants, animal
dander, dust mites, mold and mildew (23). Dr. Anders said we would do a series of skin
tests for allergies right away. If I am allergic to certain triggers, allergy shots will help by
desensitizing me to them, making them less likely to trigger an episode (Anders).
If I am allergic to certain pollens, I can reduce the chances of an asthma episode
by staying indoors when those pollens are in the air. Indoors, I can reduce the risk of an
episode by using the air conditioner to circulate air while keeping windows and doors
closed to keep pollens out. Cleaning the air with an air-cleaning device can reduce dust
mites, mold spores, and other indoor allergens (“85 % of Americans”).
Two instruments are commonly used in the treatment of asthma. The first is
called a peak flow meter. This is a tube about six inches long; its purpose is to measure
your ability to push air out of your lungs. When you exhale into it, you can determine if
your lungs are working at their capacity. If they are not, you know it is time to take some
medication, often with a metered-dose inhaler (Peak Flow Meters). A metered-dose
inhaler, a hand-held pump, delivers medication directly to the airways and helps patients
get their breath back very quickly (Anders).
There are many different medications that doctors may use to help people with
asthma. Medications can be injected, taken orally or inhaled. Inhaled medications are
usually a first line of defense because they work very quickly, usually in less than 5
minutes. This is because they go right into the lungs and not into other parts of the body.
Certain anti-inflammatory drugs are used to keep air passages open and prevent asthma
episodes. One type of these is called corticosteroids. I was relieved to find that these are
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not the same kind of steroids that cause serious side effects in athletes. The risk of side
effects with corticosteroids is very small (Asthma Medicines).
Twenty or thirty years ago doctors believed that physical exercise made an
asthmatic patient’s condition worse. At that time doctors believed a quiet, restful life was
best. Now new research is showing that “people with breathing disorders who can
maintain a regular program of exercise and activity are able to experience maximum
cardiovascular fitness along with greater symptom control, or an increased ability to
exercise and do the activities of daily living. Exercise trains the respiratory muscles to
work more efficiently” (Smolley and Bruce,127-128). I had been worried that I would
have to drop off the softball team or miss our next family camping trip. These facts,
however, made me confident that I would be able to continue to do both.
Nancy Hogshead, a former Olympic athlete, demonstrates some exercises for
asthmatics on a video called Aerobics For Athletes. I tried some of the exercises, and
they are great. Nancy serves as a wonderful role model. She and other Olympic athletes
including Rob Muzzio, Jim Ryun, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Amy VanDyken have had
to deal with asthma, and many of these athletes still compete (Smolley and Bruce, 128).
In fact, a recent study of Olympic athletes revealed that, “more than 20 percent of the
American athletes who participated in the 1996 Summer Olympic games may have had
asthma” (Olympians). I am very encouraged by this fact.
After doing the research, I concluded that if I developed a plan for myself, I
would be able to manage my asthma. My plan addresses the areas of medical treatment,
environment, pets and sports. If I find that I have allergies, I’ll take the allergy shots. I’ll
take my medications and monitor the peak flow levels every day as well as go in for
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3rd Hour
checkups every three months. Prior to outdoor activities such as hiking and camping I’ll
have to check the pollen counts that are published in our local newspaper. If the counts
are high, I won’t be able to participate. As for getting a dog, our family will have to
postpone that decision until I’ve found if I’m allergic to them. Finally, I can continue to
participate in my sports and physical activities. I’ll use the peak flow meter before and
after softball games, do warm-up breathing exercises, and keep an inhaler handy for
emergency use.
Reflection
I actually learned a lot about doing research as a result of this project. For one
thing, doing the research took a lot more time than I thought it would. Consequently, I
have learned to plan my time more efficiently. I’ll schedule an appointment well ahead
the next time I want to interview someone.
I’ve learned that writing research questions that require research is difficult. In the
beginning my questions were too easily answered, so I had to develop them so they
required the depth necessary of support. This took quite a few revisions and some
analytical thought, but I’ve learned to ask more “why” and “how” questions.
Conducting research was also something that was, initially, difficult for me. I’ve
learned the difference between credible and unreliable resources, and I’ve learned to
utilize search engines like Google Scholar and Points of View Reference Center. My
teacher introduced me to the free online Arizona Library, and there were a multitude of
resources and databases that I found to be incredibly helpful.
My writing skills also improved. I learned to use an outline to organize my
thoughts before I begin to write. I’m also better able to write a well-developed paragraph
April Brewington
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3rd Hour
that focuses on one topic. Proquest and the OPAC at the public library are both tools
that I hadn’t used before, but I will use with my next research project. I also learned how
to evaluate information from web sites. In addition to these academic benefits, I got a lot
of information that will help me lead a full and active life, in spite of my asthma.
April Brewington
I Search
3rd Hour
Works Cited
Abramowicz, Mark. “Asthma, Bronchial.” Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. CDROM. Microsoftpor., 1993-97.
Aerobics for Asthmatics. Videocassette. Allergy and Asthma Network / Mothers of
Asthmatics, Inc., 1993.
Anders, Emma R., M.C. Personal interview. 12 Apr. 1999.
“Asthma.” The Merck Manual of Medical Information. Whitehouse Station: N.J. Merck
Research Laboratories, 2003.
“Asthma Medicines.” American Lung Association Web site. American Lung Assocition.
15 Apr. 1999. <http://www.lungusa.org / asathma / astasmeds2.html>.
Berg, Susan. “Recently Diagnosed with Asthma?” Asthma Mar.-Apr. 1999: 22-24.
“85% of Americans Don’t Know the Air in Their Homes May Be Hazardous to Their
Health.” American Lung Association Web site. 24 Mar. 1999. American Lung
Association. 15 Apr. 1999.
<http://www.lungusa.org/press/association/85percent.html>.
“Olympians Don’t Let Asthma Hold Them Back.” Asthma Mar.-Apr. 1999: 15.
“Peak Flow Meters.” American Lung Association Web site. American Lung
Association. 15 Apr. 1999. <http://www.lungusa.org/asthma/astpeakflow.html>.
Smolley, Laurence A. and Debra Fulghum Bruce. Breathe Right Now: A comprehensive
Guide to Undertand and Treating the Most common Breathing Dosorders. New
York: Norton, 19981.